


An Infinitesimal Issue: ROMAN

by Kitkatzgr8



Series: Spectacular Sanders Sides Sketchy Scribbles [1]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Creative Breakdowns, Gen, I've literally had this in my drafts for forever, There's too few kid!sides fics out there and I dig that content you feel me?, so this just... happened
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2020-05-16 08:02:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19314004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kitkatzgr8/pseuds/Kitkatzgr8
Summary: The other sides relied on him too much for him to show even a bit of weakness, even in the face of this issue! He was the prince! Valorously taking on any and all problems in stride was his thing!...They didn't need to know.





	An Infinitesimal Issue: ROMAN

**Author's Note:**

> So, as it turns out, this thing has been sitting in my drafts for, like, 7 months... and since I haven't posted something in forever... I'mma just do it, just because? 
> 
> Yeahhh this is another trashy sanders sides age regression au because I love what people have done with the kid sides and I just had to try???

He was the prince.

 

That was the role he had been explicitly created to fill. That was who he _was_. That was who the others relied on him to be. The knight in shining armor, the creative thinker, the romantic lover, the Disney fanatic, the protector of hopes and dreams, the one with the outside-of-the box ideas that helped get through the necessary internal conflict.

 

He knew he couldn’t let the others find out about this. It would be too much. It was already too much. So much was resting on his shoulders, what with Thomas’s job being almost completely based on creative, unique, and funny ideas. And, yes, he was aware that was the issue, but the other sides relied on him too much for him to show even a bit of weakness in this! He was the prince! Valorously taking on any and all problems in stride was his thing! 

 

But, in an ironic twist that he could almost appreciate, it was this... smaller, issue, that was the hardest for him to deal with. He could almost understand it, if he put the thought to it. A sort of defense mechanism in Thomas's mind to prevent a full-on creative burnout. After all, the younger mind of a child never ran out of wild imaginations and creative ideas like the bogged-down mind of an older prince would. In a way, him reverting to a younger, more simple minded version of himself for a few hours, or days, at the worst of these burnout was a blessing. 

 

So, whenever the pressure became too much, and he inevitably regressed through powers outside his control, he just made sure he never left his room. Never let the others know. Never told anyone about the pressure that forced him into the breakdowns. They didn’t need to know. He just needed to stay in his room and ride it out.

 

Unfortunately, after he regressed, he wasn’t so aware of his resolve to stay in his room. Full of wonderful thoughts, creative imagination, and buzzing with energy, all he wanted was to explore, to move around, to do something. And, no matter what he thought when he was his fabulously full-grown, princely self, those thoughts didn’t seem to transfer to his smaller form, and that brushed oak door that led to the hall and the adventure that might be hidden behind it was often too enticing to ignore.

 

Fortunately, he had help.

 

“No, no! Roman, you can’t just run off like that!” Scooping up the toddler as he was reaching for the doorknob, Emile Picani began to shush the other as he began to complain loudly.

 

“W’ana see!” Roman protested, trying to squirm from the other’s hold.

 

“What have we discussed about that door?”

 

Roman frowned, crossing his pudgy arms over his chest as Picani set him back down on the couch. He mumbled something under his breath, and the therapist patiently smiled.

“You gotta speak up, bud.”

 

“Cn’t open it…” he mumbled. Emile smiled, then sat down next to the boy, smoothing his dark brown locks where they stuck up in the back.

 

“That’s right, my little prince. But, why would you even want to go out there? There’s plenty of fun things to do in here!” As if to prove his point, Picani grabbed the remote from where it had fallen to the ground and pressed play, the TV in front of them jumping to life and continuing what they had been watching earlier.

 

It only took 4 seconds for Roman to begin squirming away from Picani’s hold again. As the therapist pulled the smaller onto his lap so he could keep him seated in a hug, the toddler began to scream and kick in apparently frustration. “No! No! No! No!” he chanted over and over, the other figment wincing a little at the sound.

 

“Aw, c’mon Ro. This is one of your favorites! What’s wrong?” The toddler kept screaming, tears streaming down his face as he tried to wrestle away.

 

Yes, Picani thought it would be better for the creative side’s mental health if he finally told the others why he’d stay locked in his room for weeks on end. Opening up about how the workload was affecting him would not only strengthen his bond with his fellow sides, but would probably make things better for him in both regressed and regular forms.

 

But, if he was being honest, Emile also wanted him to open up about it so he could get some much needed help with the tantrum throwing child. He had assumed he’d be good with kids, since... well, it was his job to be good with people! He could usually understand how they worked and approach things the best way based off of that! Plus, he loved cartoons, Roman loved cartoons; he thought that the little guy and him would get along great! Obviously, after the first couple of regressions that he had been enough of an idea to manifest in Roman’s room and see, he was very wrong about that. He also wasn’t sure how the creative side had managed to keep his regressed self a secret for all those years he hadn’t been there, seeing as how the kid jumped at every opportunity to get through that door.

 

So, yeah, having Patton’s paternal instincts with him as he tried to care for the rambunctious child during one of his many tantrums would be amazing; he’d admit it. Roman was great, but a kid-sized version of the creative trait was difficult to deal with, to say the least. But, he respected the aspect’s decision, and so he kept quiet about it to the others.

 

“Ohhhhhh myyyyyy _gooooooshhhhhhhh_ ,” another voice cut in above the screaming, and Picani looked up to see a figure lying on Roman’s bed, black jacket and jeans standing out against the royal red sheets. “Make it _stooooop_!” Stretching slowly, the figure sat up, then slid off the bed. Sashaying over to the couch, he grabbed a Starbucks cup out of thin air, taking a sip before looking almost disdainfully at the two. “Like, honestly, he’s been screaming for the past hour. What the hecking heck is the problem here?”

 

“Good to see you again, Remy, though I’m not sure why you’re here?” Picani greeted in confusion, rocking back and forth slightly as the child kept crying. “Haven’t seen your physical form in what seems like months!”

 

A wide yawn broke the manifestation of sleep’s face, immediately followed by him chugging half of his coffee before returning back to the conversation. “Well, sweetheart, it’s in the name. I was _sleeping_. Quite beautifully, in fact, until the blood curdling screams of…” Flicking his sunglasses up so they rested on top of his head, he squinted at the figure. “Oh, he’s tiny again.” There was a pause, and then Remy winked at Roman, smiling slightly as the creative trait stopped his tantrum and stared up at him in curiosity.

 

Rubbing Roman’s back soothingly, Picani sighed in relief as he stopped fighting to get down. “Yeah, a particularly stressful project came up recently, and what with both my cartoon therapy video and the next Sanders Sides being made…” He sighed again. “I didn’t pop up in enough time to calm him down. Looks like it was a bad one, so he might be like this for a while.”

 

“Well, thank goodness Uncle Remy popped up in enough time to stop this horrendous racket, huh, honey?” he said, glancing at Roman again before flipping the shades over his eyes again. “Who knows how long that could’ve been going on?”

 

“I’m trying, okay? Usually Disney calms him down a bit, but he’s just not interested today!”

 

Throwing his hands up with a dramatic sigh, sunglasses hiding the obvious eye roll, he looked at Roman with a ‘can you believe this guy?’ look. Immediately, the toddler unlocked his arms from around Emile’s neck, choosing instead to make grabby hands at the shorts character. “Rem! Up! Up!” he demanded, and, with a small smirk, the characterization obliged.

 

“Yeah, cartoons can’t be your only go to, nerd,” he said, settling the toddler comfortably balanced on his hip. Snapping his latte away from Roman’s reach, he did grudgingly allow the toddler to take off his sunglasses and play with them while he continued talking to the other. “How long has he been watching?”

 

“That’s the thing, he was fine for the first couple of hours!” Roman accidentally poked himself in the eye with the frame of the sunglasses as he tried to put them on, and Picani’s hands twitched as he tried to resist the urge to grab the child and keep him safe in his arms. “But, honestly, it’s fine. I’ll just try some others; you can just go back to sleep.”

 

Taking another step back, Remy frowned. “Uh, yeah, no way. He was crying when he was with you, and now he ain’t. He’s staying right here.”

 

“C’mon Rem, I can take care of it! I’m worried you- nonono wait put him down _you might hurt him_!” Shooting up from the couch, the therapist tried in vain to stop the other characterization as he swung the creative side above his head in an almost circle-of-life-esque way, Roman giggling and clapping his hands. Sticking out his tongue at the panicked cartoon lover, Remy lowered his arms so he could look Roman in the eye. “You’re having fun, aren’t you bud? Uncle Rem more fun than boring ol’ Dr. Cartoon over there?”

 

“Remy, please. You’re a great character, but really, I’m not sure you should be playing with him like this! What do you know about taking care of kids?”

 

“Apparently more than you, you clod!”

 

There was silence, and then a smile began to grow on Emile’s face. “Wait, did you…”

 

Remy’s face fell. “Uh, no, no, I did not-”

 

“ _You watched Steven Universe_!” Picani squealed, eyes lighting up “Ah, you should’a told me! I would’ve watched with you! What episode are you on? Who’s your favorite character? And oh my goodness, did you take my other recommendations? What about-”

 

There was a whoosh, and another voice was added to the conversation. “Uh… hey! The others wanted me to, uh, say.... uh, you guys are being awful…”

 

Both Picani and Roman turned to look past Remy at the figments that had just manifested.

 

“...ly loud!” he quickly finished, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. ”And, uh, we’d appreciate if you kept it down, just a tad! Even though we do adore you guys being so upbeat and… uh, energetic!” Looking back at the figment behind him, he frowned. “Was that good? Aw, that wasn’t nice at all, Nate! Why’d I have to do this?” The other figure just slowly put his hand on the other’s shoulder, then sluggishly nodded to show that the other had done fine.

 

“Missy, this doesn’t concern you. Go back to sleep,” Remy said without turning to look at the two that had manifested behind him.

 

“Fine, whatever dude,” Missy muttered, grabbing the other figments hand and disappearing with him.

 

Emile was still grinning at Remy, hands over his mouth and almost vibrating with contained emotion. “Picani, the kid,” the characterization reminded him what the focus should be on, tilting his head towards the laughing toddler in his arms.

 

Still grinning, Emile nodded, strands of purple hair falling in front of his laughing eyes. “Right, sorry. You were saying?”

 

Sleep rolled his eyes again, shooting an ‘I’m so over this’ look at the other. “Kids can’t just sit there and watch stuff all day! They need breaks, activities, opportunities to run around and use their imagination. All that nasty stuff. Luckily, there is one things that kids absolutely looooove that I am amazing at. ” Bouncing the now giggling toddler on his hip, Remy, gave him an uncharacteristically soft smile, booping Roman on the nose. “Looks like someone is gonna get a nap!”

 

Instandly, Roman stopped laughing. “No! No naps! No, no, no, no, nononononono….” Before the boisterous child could delve into another full blown tantrum, Remy simply ran a hand over the kid’s eyes, lightly closing his eyelids. “I don’t… naps…” the toddler said, even while yawning, then slumped onto the characterization shoulder and began lightly snoring.

 

“And… there ya go…” Remy said softly, stifling a yawn of his own. “One sleeping kid, and one sleepy figment.” Gently transferring Roman from his shoulder to Picani’s, Remy pried chubby fingers from his now smudged glasses and slid them on before casually saluting and walking back towards Roman’s bed.

 

“... you’ve been here for, what, half a year now? And you _just_ decide to show me you can do that? Do you know how many times I’ve had to try and console that child?”

 

“Gurl, you never asked. ‘What would I know about kids,’ remember?” Flopping on the satiny red sheets, he grinned sleepily, then yawned. “But, I do have a couple other tricks up my sleeve. Next time…” He gestures randomly at the sleeping child. “...whatever happened happens again, give me a call. Later!” And with that, he disappeared, off to join all the other intangible ideas buzzing around the room.

 

Shaking his head, but smiling fondly, Emile sat and laid the toddler next to him. “He’s a strange one. But I like’m,” he said quietly, brushing a strand of hair away from the toddler’s forehead. “You always come up with the most creative things, don’t you, my little prince?” The toddler shifted closer to the man in his sleep, curling up tightly against his side.

 

“....You really should tell the others,” Emile remarked almost sadly as he waved away Roman’s sash, exercising what little power he did have over the Imagination to shift the boy into his favorite red and white fleece pajamas. “They worry an awful lot, and I think you know that. But, you must know that they wouldn’t care. Everyone gets overwhelmed at times, you just… react differently. Patton would love to have an actual kiddo running around occasionally. And I’m sure even Virgil and Logan would find your utter adorableness appealing.”

 

Jerking up at the sound of a knock on the door, Emile quickly got up and ran to the door, shoving on a cheeky smile and straightening his pastel pink tie before opening it.

 

“Ah, Patton! Do you, how do?”

 

The moral side giggled, and the therapist couldn’t help but crack a real smile at the sound.

 

“Great to see you, Emi! But uh…” Rocking back on his heels, Patton smiled slightly. “Is Roman… okay? He wasn’t down at breakfast again, and he… he said he was going meet with Thomas and Logan for video ideas, but he never showed, and…” Leaning comically to the side, Patton tried to look past Picani and see into the room. “Is the kiddo feeling alright? Need any of my ‘Patton’ted sick-day soup?”

 

“Oh, he’s just deep in another daydream again,” the therapist said dismissively, subtly leaning as well to block the parental figure’s view of the sleeping child on the couch. “Nothing to worry about. I’m sure he’ll be out and about again tomorrow!”

 

Contrary to what others might think, he didn’t feel wrong about lying to the literal embodiment of Thomas’s morality. To him, he was simply fulfilling Doctor-Patient Confidentiality. What Roman told him in private and made explicitly clear that he didn’t want the others to know for one reason or another he had no qualms with keeping between themselves.

 

Patton played with the sleeves of the cat hoodie tied around his shoulders. “Well, if you’re sure he’s okay.” He paused for a moment, then looked up at the other, smile gone. “Ever since the videos started, ever since Thomas started needing him more… I feel like so much pressure is being put on him. He stays in his room for days on end sometimes, and he almost never lets us go inside anymore. I’m… I’m really worried, Emi. If there’s anything me, or any of the others, could help with… please let us know.”

 

...Then again, if it was in Roman’s best interest for someone, like a father figure, to know about a secret…

 

Morality looked lost for a moment, then shook his head slightly, plastering a smile onto his face. His shoulders didn’t relax. “I know,” he said softly. “I’m probably just being silly.” And, before Picani could even react, he found himself with an armful of dad. “Just… thanks for looking out for him,” he vaguely heard Patton’s voice say, muffled as he pressed his face into the taller figment’s shoulder.

 

“You’re just being concerned, like any dad should be,” the therapist reassured him, gently carding his fingers through the moral side’s hair. “But, if anything comes up…” His voice seemed to stick in his throat, and he swallowed before continuing. “...I’ll be sure to let you know, Pat.”

 

He couldn’t help the twinge of guilt in his stomach as the moral side looked up at him with a soft smile and trusting expression. “I know you will.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> oof. probably gonna come back and rewrite this someday, but today is not that day


End file.
